GFI Protection

Status
Not open for further replies.
R

Richard Woods

New member
At our local fair grounds inside the show barns we are planning to install many new 120V 20A ( 1 quad per circuiut ) outlets for the purpose of providing power for electric fans that will be utilized by those people showing animals to keep them cool , these outlets will be located approximately 72" above the floor , and as best as I can tell those receptacles are required by code to be GFI protected . Am I correct ?
 
I would say no, according to 210.8(B). I don't ever recall seeing a 72" number related to GFCI requirements.










But I would GFCI them anyway.
 
I can't cite the code requirements in this situation, but considering where those outlets are being installed (near live animals that might chew electrical cords, watering troughs, curious kids, etc.), I would certainly WANT them to be GFCI protected!
 
NEC said:
210.8(B) Other Than Dwelling Units. All 125-volt, single-phase, 15- and 20-ampere receptacles installed in the locations specified in (1) through (5) shall have ground-fault circuit-interrupter protection for personnel:
(1) Bathrooms
(2) Kitchens
(3) Rooftops
(4) Outdoors
Exception No. 1 to (3) and (4): Receptacles that are not readily accessible and are supplied from a dedicated branch circuit for electric snow-melting or deicing equipment shall be permitted to be installed without GFCI protection.
Exception No. 2 to (4): In industrial establishments only, where the conditions of maintenance and supervision ensure that only qualified personnel are involved, an assured equipment grounding conductor program as specified in 590.6(B)(2) shall be permitted for only those receptacle outlets used to supply equipment that would create a greater hazard if power is interrupted or having a design that is not compatible with GFCI protection.
(5) Sinks — where receptacles are installed within 1.8 m (6 ft) of the outside edge of the sink.
Click to expand...

Unless they're outside the barn or on the roof, they're not required to be GFCId. (Having a kitchen or bathroom in the barn notwithstanding)
 
Richard Woods said:
At our local fair grounds inside the show barns we are planning to install many new 120V 20A ( 1 quad per circuiut ) outlets for the purpose of providing power for electric fans that will be utilized by those people showing animals to keep them cool , these outlets will be located approximately 72" above the floor , and as best as I can tell those receptacles are required by code to be GFI protected . Am I correct ?
Click to expand...

Article 547, 547.5 (G) four instances where GFCI protection is required.
 
Whoa! Backup! Is this an "Agricultural Building"? If it is, and this is a "dirt confinement area for livestock" then 547.5(G) requires that all receptacles have GFCI protection regardless of mounting height. Since the OP refers to these as "show barns" I would say they are agricultural buildings. There is more to the code than just the first 4 chapters...

Oops Ott2 beat me to it.
 
Last edited:
480sparky said:
Unless they're outside the barn or on the roof, they're not required to be GFCId. (Having a kitchen or bathroom in the barn notwithstanding)
Click to expand...
But could an animal watering trough be considered a "sink"? I'm not sure if a strict adherance to semantics would be beneficial in this case, especially considering that it's impossible for the NEC to predict every possible installation scenario. That said, I'd be very surprised if this situation (animal pens) has not been specifically addressed. It's not like farms are a new concept.

Another thing to consider: who will be liable if a $20,000 prized bull gets electrocuted?
 
Jon456 said:
But could an animal watering trough be considered a "sink"? I'm not sure if a strict adherance to semantics would be beneficial in this case, especially considering that it's impossible for the NEC to predict every possible installation scenario. That said, I'd be very surprised if this situation (animal pens) has not been specifically addressed. It's not like farms are a new concept.

Another thing to consider: who will be liable if a $20,000 prized bull gets electrocuted?
Click to expand...

I believe that this situation (animal pens) would require GFCI protection in accordance with 547.5(G) as this would be a dirt confinement area for livestock.

Here is what that section says:

(G) Receptacles. All 125-volt, single-phase, 15- and 20-ampere general-purpose receptacles installed in the locations listed in (1) through (4) shall have ground-fault circuit-interrupter protection:
(1) Areas having an equipotential plane
(2) Outdoors
(3) Damp or wet locations
(4) Dirt confinement areas for livestock
GFCI protection shall not be required for an accessible receptacle supplying a dedicated load where a GFCI protected receptacle is located within 900 mm (3 ft) of the non-GFCI-protected receptacle.
Click to expand...

Chris
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top